A need has been identified in many industries to reduce the weight of products by reducing the weight of the components by utilizing lighter weight materials. As an example, the airline industry desires to reduce the weight of the aircraft, thereby reducing the fuel consumption, which in turn, reduces cost. This can be achieved, in part, by replacing the base metal in copper terminals with lighter weight material such as aluminum. This need follows the change from copper wire to aluminum wire on aircraft. However, prior to converting the terminals to a lighter weight material, it must be confirmed that a positive electrical connection will be effected with the lighter weight material.
Known methods of providing coupling between mating surfaces in aircraft having aluminum structures are generally limited to the uses of cured elastomer gaskets, metallic gaskets using sealants, or a multiple use of corrosion inhibitors and plating. The cured elastomer gaskets allow moisture between the mating surfaces and tend to become bonded/adhere or retain a memory under compression to the two surfaces after a period of time and temperature cycling. The metallic gaskets also have a permanent bonding problem due to the application of adhesives to reduce the moisture ingress between the two surfaces. The use of the corrosion resistant compounds and sealants creates a time consuming process in application and removal and tend to crack during structure flexing, thereby allowing moisture to ingress between the mating surfaces and causing a breakdown of the inhibitors.
In addition, most gaskets presently used have a base material so dissimilar to aluminum that they thereby cause galvanic corrosion, rather than prevent it, due to the fact that they cannot provide a hermetic seal by themselves and require the use of an outside sealant which when used in high vibration areas or under flexing conditions tends to crack and thereby introduces an electrolyte that creates a galvanic cell.
It would be beneficial to provide conductive insert which does not require a gasket and which can be used between aluminum terminals and the aluminum structure of an aircraft which is cost effective and which can provide a positive electrical connection through a low resistance bond between low conductive materials, thereby eliminating the need for inhibitor greases to be applied to the aluminum. It would also be beneficial to provide an insert which minimizes application time and removal time. It would also be beneficial eliminates structural and component damage during removal and which protects the integrity of the installation in harsh environments associated with aircraft, such as, but not limited to, altitude, vibration, structural flexing, and extreme temperatures.